Area 7 Elk Hunt

[brdhuntr]

I have enough points to draw area 7, and is there enough accesable public land to hunt. I know it is a large unit, and there is a lot of private. Thanks for any feed back.

 

[30Hart]

I believe you are better served having at least a smaller ranch or two to hunt, especially using all those points. I wouldn't personally hunt it as an out of stater without that. I've hunted it 3 years in a row when I was a Wyoming resident and took my biggest bull there, a 347.

 

[brdhuntr]

I believe you are better served having at least a smaller ranch or two to hunt, especially using all those points. I wouldn't personally hunt it as an out of stater without that. I've hunted it 3 years in a row when I was a Wyoming resident and took my biggest bull there, a 347.

Thanks Heart, do you know anyone i can contact, i will pay any reasonable trespass fee. Thanks

 

[30Hart]

No you got to do it the old fashioned way. Check map apps and get the owners names, call the county, call area game warden, call the blm range manager, call the area biologist, call regional fish and game office and talk to the clerks that take the calls. Call the local bars, restaurants, and feed stores. It was easier for me when I lived in Cheyenne. Just took half a week two separate times and went door to door and got 3 prospects but only hunted one of them but my contact is dead now...God rest his soul...good man!!!

 

[ICMDEER]

Area 7 is getting tougher. Be sure to get access before you have the license. Lots of elk; above herd objective. But getting to them is often a real problem.

If you find a decent spot, it is still possible to take a great bull. The bulls are there but access is the key.

 

[highfastflyer]

There is plenty of public lands, and HMAs, walk in areas to kill a good bull but it requires a lot of work and dedication. Driving the roads with all the other swarms of hunters on Atvs won’t normally produce. Put in the effort and you’ll be rewarded, it is a great area for decent bulls but you have to put in the time and effort. There’s a good reason 2252 elk were killed in area 7 in 2020, more than double any other unit in the entire state.

 

[brdhuntr]

There is plenty of public lands, and HMAs, walk in areas to kill a good bull but it requires a lot of work and dedication. Driving the roads with all the other swarms of hunters on Atvs won’t normally produce. Put in the effort and you’ll be rewarded, it is a great area for decent bulls but you have to put in the time and effort. There’s a good reason 2252 elk were killed in area 7 in 2020, more than double any other unit in the entire state.

Thank you for the information, i live in Boise, and have hunted Buffalo, and Cow Elk in Wyoming, and have been saving points. It's time for this 75-year old to use them, while i'm still able. I need to go over early, and look at the country, and figure out an area that i can hike, and pack one out that is not to steep.

 

[martinbowhunter]

There is a crazy amount of bulls there. The problem with area 7 is the amount of private land. The first week of gun season they all move onto private which makes harvest low. Game and Fish see the population getting bigger so the only reasonable solution is to give out more tags. More hunters equals more pressure which pushes them more on to private land. It is possible to find elk off private especially during the first week of gun season. If I had the tag I would archery hunt it. Elk have not seen the pressure yet and are spread out on both public and private.

 

[30Hart]

There is a crazy amount of bulls there. The problem with area 7 is the amount of private land. The first week of gun season they all move onto private which makes harvest low. Game and Fish see the population getting bigger so the only reasonable solution is to give out more tags. More hunters equals more pressure which pushes them more on to private land. It is possible to find elk off private especially during the first week of gun season. If I had the tag I would archery hunt it. Elk have not seen the pressure yet and are spread out on both public and private.

That's great advice right there.

 

[brdhuntr]

There is a crazy amount of bulls there. The problem with area 7 is the amount of private land. The first week of gun season they all move onto private which makes harvest low. Game and Fish see the population getting bigger so the only reasonable solution is to give out more tags. More hunters equals more pressure which pushes them more on to private land. It is possible to find elk off private especially during the first week of gun season. If I had the tag I would archery hunt it. Elk have not seen the pressure yet and are spread out on both public and private.

I do understand there is a lot of pressure on the public, but i'm a gun hunter, and bow hunting would be a great advantage. Thankyou.

 

[Bookhead]

The amount of tags hasn't really changed much over the years though. They have always given out too many tags for the amount of available public land in my opinion. The archery hunt is good if you know how to hunt finicky bulls most have heard plenty of hunters calling at em

 

[Bookhead]

That being said id probably rather rifle hunt a general unit then 7 sadly

 

[ICMDEER]

I went up yesterday for the last day of the type 6 cow season in area 7. Quite a few hunters. Every walk-in or public access (HMA) parking area had at least one pickup. And other vehicles parked or driving around on other spots. Never saw a cow on public lands.

I did see 5 bulls on a strip of public lands. I saw quite a few cows on deeded ground. A pic from yesterday below. Critters are wintering well. It was a shade below zero this morning but we only got an inch or two of fresh snow.